Mechanics

All leech mechanics act the same way for life, mana, or in the case of Ghost Reaver, energy shield. Examples in this article will use life, but if the character has equal statistics for a different resource (mana or energy shield), they will apply in the same way.

Whenever a character hits an enemy while having an applicable source of leech, a leech instance is created on that character. Each leech instance is independent, and will heal the character for Damage Dealt * #% damage leeched as life , at a default rate of 2% of that character's maximum health per second. Thus, each leech instance will have a different duration, calculated as (HealAmount / (MaximumHealthPool * 0.02) ). Each leech instance will stack and apply to the character simultaneously until it expires or the character is at full life. However, if the total leech per second from all leech instances is greater than the character's leech cap, the extra healing will be ignored.[3] By default, this cap is 20% of that character's maximum life pool. This is covered in greater detail under the Combined Recovery Rate section.

Leech grants recovery to the entity that hit the target, so leech on a minion or totem will grant recovery to that minion or totem, not you. Leech on a trap or mine has no effect, as the source of the hit has no life to recover. Exceptions to this rule include The BaronThe BaronClose HelmetQuality: +20%Armour: 156Requires Level 26, 58 Str+(20-40) to Strength+2 to Level of SocketedMinion GemsMinions have 20% increased maximum LifeHalf of your Strength is added to your Minions+1 to maximum number of Zombies per 300 StrengthWith at least 1000 Strength, 2% of Damage dealt by your Zombies is Leeched to you as Life"The Emperor's trusted surgeons are not the only ones who practice the dark arts. Some of us are just more discreet." and the Hinekora, Death's Fury passive, which allow entities to leech life to you.

Modifiers

Leech can be modified significantly through passives, support gems, and equipment. Beyond just adding various sources of leech, modifiers such as #% of maximum Life per second to maximum Life Leech rate or #% increased (or reduced) Life Leeched per second can change how leech is applied to a character.

The #% increased (or reduced) Life Leeched per second modifier provides an increase to how much life per second a character will regain from each leech instance, without changing the duration of the leech instance. This will increase the total amount healed by that leech instance. If previously a leech instance would heal your character for 100 health over 1 second, and you gain 20% increased life leeched per second, it will now heal your character for 120 health over 1 second.

The #% of maximum Life per second to maximum Life Leech rate modifier raises a character's leech cap, calculated as (Maximum Life * (0.20 + #% of maximum Life per second to maximum Life Leech rate) ). Normally a character with 5,000 life can only leech health at a maximum rate of 1,000 per second (5000 * 0.20 = 1000) regardless of how many leech instances they have and what rate they individually regain life. If that character gains 3% of maximum Life per second to maximum Life Leech rate, such as from the notable Vitality Void, they will be able to leech up to 1,150 life per second. (5000 * (0.20 + 0.03) = 1150)

There are a few notable ways for these factors to be altered besides the passive tree:[4]

The of Smotheringmodifier for maps slows life and mana leech recovery rate by 50%.

For life leech by a skill supported by the Life Leech SupportLife Leech SupportSupportIcon: lMana Multiplier: 130%Requires Level 31Supports any skill that hits enemies, causing those hits to leech life based on damage dealt.Per 1% Quality:Supported Skills have 0.5% increased Life Leeched per secondSupported Skills have 2% of Damage Leeched as LifeSupported Skills have (0-38)% increased Life Leeched per secondThis is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket. gem.

Leech duration

The leech recovery duration is how long in seconds a leech instance has to last to recover the entirety of the damage leeched.[5] It can be found by dividing the percent damage inflicted that is leeched by the leech recovery rate.

duration = damage dealt * % damage leeched / (max health * 0.02)

No modifiers to maximum leech rate affect the duration,[5] nor do modifiers to life recovery rate.[6] Note that the leeched damage is always rounded down to nearest integer, which can be noticeable for skills that do low amounts of damage quickly.

Combined Recovery Rate

The total leech recovery rate (accounting for all instances of leech) can be calculated by

where max life can also be the character's maximum mana for mana leech. Increased leech per second is the sum of all the #% increased (or reduced) Life/Mana Leeched per second modifiers.

This combined rate is subject to the leech cap, which is by default 20% of the character's maximum health. This maximum is increased by any #% of maximum Life/Mana per second to maximum Life/Mana Leech rate modifiers.

As such, each character only requires a certain number of leech instances before they will be recovering at their maximum rate. For a default character, this is 10 instances, but any increases or decreases from #% Life Leeched per second or #% of maximum Life per second to maximum Life Leech rate will change this number.[3] If a character has too many leech instances, the extra healing will be ignored. This maximum can be found with the below formula:

Note that if X, Y or Z are not specified it means that it applies to all those types.

Examples

Life Leech SupportLife Leech SupportSupportIcon: lMana Multiplier: 130%Requires Level 31Supports any skill that hits enemies, causing those hits to leech life based on damage dealt.Per 1% Quality:Supported Skills have 0.5% increased Life Leeched per secondSupported Skills have 2% of Damage Leeched as LifeSupported Skills have (0-38)% increased Life Leeched per secondThis is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket. and Mana Leech SupportMana Leech SupportSupportIcon: mRequires Level 31Supports any skill that hits enemies, causing those hits to leech mana based on damage dealt.Per 1% Quality:Supported Skills have 0.5% increased Mana Leeched per secondSupported Skills have 2% of Damage Leeched as ManaSupported Skills have (0-38)% increased Mana Leeched per secondThis is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket. have the mod #% of Damage Leeched as Life/Mana implying it works for all types of skills that hit a target.

Warlord's MarkWarlord's MarkSpell, AoE, Duration, CurseRadius: 22Mana Cost: (24-50)Cast Time: 0.50 secRequires Level 24Curses all targets in an area, making them more vulnerable to stuns. Hitting the cursed targets will leech life and mana, and killing them will result in a chance to gain an endurance charge.Per 1% Quality:Cursed enemies have a 0.5% chance to grant an Endurance Charge when slainBase duration is (6-9.8) secondsCursed enemies have (21-30)% reduced Stun and Block RecoveryCursed enemies have an additional 10% chance to be StunnedCursed enemies grant 2% Life Leech when HitCursed enemies grant 2% Mana Leech when HitCursed enemies have a (21-30)% chance to grant an Endurance Charge when slain+(0-10) to radiusPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. also has the mod #% of Damage Leeched as Life/Mana, granted the enemy already is cursed.

The notable passive Lust for Carnage grants the mod #% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life specifying it applies to Physical Attacks. All types of weapons can make use of this notable, however not Spells.

Items

Unique items

Item

Stats

Hungry AbyssHungry AbyssViridian JewelLimited to: 1With 5 Corrupted Items Equipped: LifeLeech recovers based on your Chaos Damage insteadCorruptedDarkness can never be sated.Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket.

Watcher's EyeWatcher's EyePrismatic JewelLimited to: 1(4-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield(4-6)% increased maximum Life(4-6)% increased maximum Mana<Two or Three random aura modifiers>One by one, they stood their ground against a creaturethey had no hope of understanding, let alone defeating,and one by one, they became a part of it.Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket.

FeastbindFeastbindRustic SashRequires Level 11(12-24)% increased Global Physical DamageAdds 5 to 10 Physical Damage to Attacks+(20-40) to maximum Life0.2% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life50% increased Flask Charges gained during any Flask Effect50% increased Mana Regeneration Rate during any Flask EffectOur forefathers danced and drank and ate their filland did not honour the First Ones for their gifts.So the First Ones filled the sky with fire.

Trolltimber SpireTrolltimber SpireCedar Tower ShieldQuality: +20%Chance to Block: 25%Armour: (270-291)Requires Level 17, 46 Str+(20-30) to maximum Life3% reduced Movement Speed (Hidden)(130-150)% increased Armour+(40-60) to maximum Life0.5% of Life Regenerated per second15% increased Area of Effect for Skills used by Totems0.5% of Damage dealt by your Totems is Leeched to you as LifeThe problem with working fresh trolltimber:by the time you've carved out one end, the other has sprouted fresh roots!

17

+(20-30) to maximum Life3% reduced Movement Speed (Hidden)(130-150)% increased Armour+(40-60) to maximum Life0.5% of Life Regenerated per second15% increased Area of Effect for Skills used by Totems0.5% of Damage dealt by your Totems is Leeched to you as Life

SkirmishSkirmishTwo-Point Arrow QuiverRequires Level 19(20-30)% increased Global Accuracy Rating+(15-25) to Intelligence+(30-50) to maximum Mana(20-30)% increased Mana Regeneration Rate0.2% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as ManaAttackSkills have +1 to maximum number of Summoned TotemsIf two great leaders like Lioneye and Kaomhad been on the same side of the battle,nothing would remain unconquered.

Carnage HeartCarnage HeartOnyx AmuletRequires Level 20+(10-16) to all Attributes+(20-40) to all Attributes+(10-20)% to all Elemental Resistances(1.2-2)% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life50% increased Life Leeched per second(30-40)% increased Damage while LeechingExtra goreForged from the blood of countless wars, its thirst has only begun.

20

+(10-16) to all Attributes+(20-40) to all Attributes+(10-20)% to all Elemental Resistances(1.2-2)% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life50% increased Life Leeched per second(30-40)% increased Damage while LeechingExtra gore

The BaronThe BaronClose HelmetQuality: +20%Armour: 156Requires Level 26, 58 Str+(20-40) to Strength+2 to Level of SocketedMinion GemsMinions have 20% increased maximum LifeHalf of your Strength is added to your Minions+1 to maximum number of Zombies per 300 StrengthWith at least 1000 Strength, 2% of Damage dealt by your Zombies is Leeched to you as Life"The Emperor's trusted surgeons are not the only ones who practice the dark arts. Some of us are just more discreet."

The RetchThe RetchRustic SashRequires Level 44(12-24)% increased Global Physical Damage+(60-80) to maximum Life+(30-40)% to Cold Resistance0.4% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life60% increased Flask effect duration30% reduced Flask Charges gained during any Flask Effect200% of LifeLeech applies to Enemies as Chaos Damage15% increased Movement Speed during any Flask EffectBut the grain grew twisted and the water turned darkand those who partook of Mother Gull's giftbirthed monsters that fed on the flesh of one another.

Jack, the AxeJack, the AxeVaal HatchetOne Handed AxeQuality: +20%Physical Damage: (86.1-101.2)–(226.8-259.9)Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%Attacks per Second: (1.54-1.61)Weapon Range: 9Requires Level 65, 140 Str, 86 Dex(90-110)% increased Physical DamageAdds (11-14) to (18-23) Physical Damage(10-15)% increased Attack Speed2% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life50% reduced Life Leeched per second25% chance to cause Bleeding on Hit"Hey, you with the hands. Got a deal for you. Give me a bit of life and I'll give you more death than you can poke a stick at. You in?"

AllureAllureVaal ClawClawQuality: +20%Physical Damage: (101.2-122.5)–(243.8-290)Critical Strike Chance: 6.50%Attacks per Second: (1.40-1.46)Weapon Range: 9Requires Level 66, 95 Dex, 131 Int2% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life(110-130)% increased Physical DamageAdds (15-20) to (30-40) Physical Damage(8-12)% increased Attack Speed15% increased Movement Speed while PhasingYou gain Phasing for 10 seconds on using a Vaal SkillWhat drives us to kill, to carve and to shred?What drives us to drink the seething souls of the dead?What drives us to love and to hold, but still go amiss?What drives us to leave this world for the Abyss?

Eye of InnocenceEye of InnocenceCitrine AmuletRequires Level 68+(16-24) to Strength and Dexterity10% chance to Ignite(50-70)% increased Damage while IgnitedTake 100 Fire Damage when you Ignite an Enemy2% of Fire Damage Leeched as Life while Ignited"...and so He said: 'Let only the good meet my gaze'and no eye met His. So He called down the cleansing flamesand let black smoke sweep the Sinners away."- Book of Innocence

Essence of DeliriumEssence of DeliriumStack Size: 9Essence Level: 8Upgrades a normal item to rare or reforges a rare item, guaranteeing one propertyWeapon: Your Hits inflict Decay, dealing 500 Chaos Damage per second for 8 secondsGloves: Socketed Gems deal 30% more Damage over TimeBoots: Cannot be PoisonedBody Armour: 25% reduced Chaos Damage taken over timeHelmet: +2 to Level of Socketed Aura GemsShield: Recover 2% of your maximum Mana when you BlockQuiver: 40% increased Damage with PoisonAmulet: 0.5% of Chaos Damage Leeched as LifeRing: 40% increased Damage with PoisonBelt: +50% to Chaos Resistance during any Flask EffectRight click this item then left click a normal or rare item to apply it.Shift click to unstack. grants 0.5% of Chaos Damage Leeched as Life to amulets.

Watcher's EyeWatcher's EyePrismatic JewelLimited to: 1(4-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield(4-6)% increased maximum Life(4-6)% increased maximum Mana<Two or Three random aura modifiers>One by one, they stood their ground against a creaturethey had no hope of understanding, let alone defeating,and one by one, they became a part of it.Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket. can have following modifiers:

0.6% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life [1]10% increased Life Leeched per second0.6% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life [1][2]0.6% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life+3% of maximum Life per second to maximum Life Leech rate [1]

0.6% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life [1]10% increased Life Leeched per second0.6% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life [1][2]0.6% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Life+3% of maximum Life per second to maximum Life Leech rate [1]10% increased Life Leeched per second0.4% of Attack Damage Leeched as Life [1][2]

For each Element you've been hit by Damage of Recently, 8% reduced Damage taken of that ElementFor each Element you've been hit by Damage of Recently, 40% increased Damage of that ElementCannot take Reflected Elemental Damage0.5% of Elemental Damage Leeched as Life [1]

Version history

Multiple leech effects now stack. A single hit against multiple targets grants multiple effects, as do multiple hits against a single target.

The speed at which you leech has been substantially reduced for both life and mana, with less of a reduction to mana leech rate, bringing it in-line with life leech rate. These now default to 2% of maximum life per second. It can be increased.

A maximum leech rate caps the rate at which you can leech. It's set to 20% of maximum life or mana per second.

Methods of improving leech, leech rate and increasing your maximum leech rate have been added to new clusters in the passive skill tree, primarily in the regions between the Marauder, Duelist and Ranger.

Some of the already existing clusters in this region that specialized in specific weapon types have also had leech elements added to them.

All existing values of leech have been substantially reduced, including values on existing items.

Some things such as Support Gems and Warlord's Mark have had their values brought in line with the other leech changes.

Previously, we had modifiers for "increased (or reduced) Life/Mana Leech rate". These did two things: They increased the amount of Life/Mana you're gaining per second for each leech effect and they reduced the duration of each leech effect, such that the total life/mana gained over the duration remained the same. All such modifiers have now been changed to "increased (or reduced) Life/Mana Leeched per second". This still increases the value of Life/Mana you're gaining per second for each leech effect, exactly as it did before. It no longer affects duration of the leech effects, meaning you'll gain more total life/mana from each one as a result.

Tools

In other languages

Content is available under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted.Path of Exile content and materials are trademarks and copyrights of Grinding Gear Games or its licensors. All rights reserved.
This site is a part of Wikia, Inc. and is not affiliated with Grinding Gear Games.